Amanda Leonard, principal of Washington Elementary School, presented to the Winslow Unified School District’s Governing Board, voicing her findings and concerns about the current standards-based grading system’s effectiveness for fifth and sixth grades. In a detailed presentation to the school board, Leonard highlighted significant drawbacks identified through teacher feedback and her own experiences, advocating for a return to traditional grading methods for these grades.

Standards-based grading, introduced in recent years at the elementary schools, evaluates students not on an A-F scale that most people are accustomed to, but on a 1-4 scale where four signifies mastery of a standard and one indicates a complete lack of understanding. However, fours are reserved for specific situations where students go far beyond and are rarely given out.

Leonard presented results from a survey of her staff that revealed deep-seated dissatisfaction with how standards-based grading reflects student learning. “Seven out of my 12 teachers either disagreed or strongly disagreed that standards-based grading better reflects students’ knowledge,” she reported. If the grading system isn’t an accurate reflection of student progress or knowledge, then it can lead to bigger issues down the road for these students.

The system’s impact on student performance was also called into question, with Leonard reporting, “Nine of my teachers either disagree or strongly disagree that standards-based grading has a positive impact on students’ grades.” Additionally, the complexity and time-consuming nature of aligning detailed standards with curriculum and assessments were cited as significant barriers to effective teaching and learning. Some standards with a large subset that teachers must ensure are all being represented in the curriculum might be missing the forest for the trees.

A critical issue Leonard raised was the lack of understanding among parents and students about what the grades actually represent. She pointed out, “Ten out of 12 of my teachers don’t believe that standards-based grading is understood by parents and family,” and highlighted a common misconception among students that a top score is required to avoid punitive consequences at home.

Given these challenges, Leonard has proposed that the district policy, which currently mandates standards-based grading from kindergarten through sixth grade, be adjusted to only cover K-4. This change would better align the elementary grading system with junior high expectations and alleviate some of the burdens faced by teachers and families alike.

Board member Todd Wilcox asked Jefferson Elementary Principal Amber Martinez, who was in attendance, if this was an issue for the young elementary grades that Jefferson serves, and she said that the standards at her levels are more straightforward and don’t have the same issues. “Mine’s pretty cut and dry because it’s the basics of learning; do you know all 26 letters? Do you know the sounds? So that lends itself a little easier to standards-based grading.”

Vice-President Joseph Hartnett sympathized with the difficulty of standards-based grading at advanced grade levels saying, “There’s a reason we never implemented it at the junior high or high school.”

The school board is now considering Leonard’s recommendations, which aim to simplify the grading system to ensure it is transparent and manageable for all stakeholders.

In other business, the board:

* Approved the following hires: Emmett Foster, substitute; Karen Sarza, second grade teacher; Ricky Greer, athletic director; Deborah Allen, secretary; Jennifer Brown, paraprofessional; and Zachary Atchison, custodian.

* Accepted the following resignations of Reva Hallman, second grade teacher; Stephanie Wofford, math teacher; and Albert Romero, part time bus driver.

* Approved the following student fundraisers: Lady Bulldogs Hoop Club, basketball tournament and camp; Dance Line, Goodwill fundraiser; and boys basketball, Little Colorado Basketball Camp.

* Approved the board meeting schedule for 2024-2025 school year.

* Approved insurance rates for employee healthcare for 2024-2025.

The next meeting of the WUSD school board will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 8, in the meeting room, located at 800 N. Apache Ave.